Photo From The Collection of Windsor’s Community Archives
In all the discussions of buildings we’ve lost along the waterfront, rarely do I ever hear any mention of what was known in its last years as the Ritz Hotel. Located at the north west corner of Riverside and Ouellette, this eclectic piece of Victorian architecture started life as a branch of Merchant’s Bank. The building fell around 1956/1957 when all the buildings on the north side of Riverside came down to create Dieppe Park.
It’s a shame we lost this one, as it was (in my opinion) one of the most interesting Victorian-era buildings downtown. Thanks goes out to Linda, for reminding me of this photo today…
Have a good weekend everyone, see you back here Monday.
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what a HUUUUUGE loss to this city .. all i can say
While I love Dieppe Park and the waterfront (though it needs to be utilized much better and the parks could more manicured) this was a great loss to the city.
Interesting to note that our downtown today is but a fraction of the size it once was even though our population is much higher.
Couple of years ago when they were digging up the corner ….I went down there and grabbed an old brick that belonged to the Ritz Hotel…But it was a red brick? I have been told the Ritz Hotel was red? Maybe the foundation was? cause when they were digging it up i saw the old stones that were the foundation of the hotel…more then 50 + yrs it has been buried….you should post the foundation Andrew….that’s really intresting eh?? Thank you for posting this beautiful Hotel !! we will never have another one like it ever again !
omg…that is freakin beautiful!
What a beautiful building.
CAN NOT BLAME EDDIE FOR THIS!
this picture has awesome detailing and is super clear for being that old! gorgeous
great picture Andrew! i have an even older one i grabbed from VMC where there’s a horse buggy sitting outside. it was still the merchants bank at that time.
Lilly – i the picture i have it’s black black and white but it sure seems as though it was a red brick building.
god, what a shame. remember a long time ago when they were building the bunker, you did a post on the foundations to this building being found during excavation.
Thanks Andrew!
Hmmm. Interesting. Wasn’t the name “Ritz” used on the old (insignificant) hotel at northwest corner of Pitt and Dougall (about a block east of Ouellette)?
There was a Ritz Hotel at the corner of Pitt and Goyeau. It was next to Adelman’s dept store. There was a restaurant on the main floor in the 60s. My grandmother would sometimes take me there for lunch after going to the market on Saturday morning. By the mid 70s it was a bar on the main floor called the Beanery. The whole block was sold by the end of the 1970’s and torn down shortly after. I think the only part of the Adelman’s / Ritz Hotel building left is the building housing Papa Cheneys on Riverside Dr.
Pre 1980, The Ritz on the corner of Pitt & Goyeau was a gay bar on the ground floor and there used to be a barber shop on the corner. THe building was owned by Rob Katzman’s father (Rob owned the Highway Tavern up on Walker Road at Tecumseh across from Chryslers. The Katzman’s used to own the Colonial Tavern up Tecumseh at Ouellette. When I drove cab for Riverside Taxi I rented a room on the 2nd floor of the Ritz.
What a beautiful building. Too bad they couldn’t have moved that one, at least. But what are the chances it wouldn’t have ended up looking like the old Jason’s? All covered up by soul-less additions.